Allen, who is known as a free spirit, embraced the equally free-spirited Bayside Bowl crowd in defeating journeyman John Furey of Howell, N.J., 269-226, 247-235, to sweep the best-of-three-game title match and end Furey’s bid for his first PBA Tour title.

“I don’t know what it is,” Allen said. “I love this place. I always bowl well here. It’s the fans, the atmosphere, everything about it. I love it here.”

Allen had a split and open in his first frame, but then ran off a string of strikes to take the lead into the final two frames where single-pin spares gave Furey a chance to throw two strikes and good count in his 10th frame to win. But Furey, the 2012 PBA East Region Player of the Year, left the 3-6-10 on his first shot in the 10th.

Allen earned his berth in the title match by denying 58-year-old PBA Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr. a chance to win a record 48th PBA Tour title, eliminating the PBA’s all-time winningest bowler, 2-1, in the semifinal round while Furey pulled off the upset of the tournament, sweeping Australia’s Jason Belmonte, 254-248, 244-226, in the other semifinal match.

Allen lost the first game to Williams, 258-226, but won a one-ball, two-shot sudden-death roll-off after they tied at 258 in game two to avoid elimination. Both players struck on their first roll-off shots, but Williams left a 10 pin on his second and Allen struck again to force a third game which Allen won, 279-247.

The Maine Shootout was the first of eight PBA Tour Xtra Frame events scheduled for 2018. Xtra Frame’s next event will be live coverage of the OceanView at Falmouth PBA League seeding tournament from Bayside Bowl Friday at 7 p.m. EDT. For subscription information, visit xtraframe.tv.

PORT PROPERTY MANAGEMENT PBA XTRA FRAME MAINE SHOOTOUT

Bayside Bowl, Portland, Maine, April 18 (all matches are best of three games)